1972 ROVER P6 3500, V8, LT77 5spd manual, many upgrades, STUNNING

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Very reluctant auction of my beautiful Rover P6 3500 V8 Hot Rod. Bought May 2010 as standard tired but running 1973 almond Rover P6 3500 Auto.

 This is all that I have done since then:

Engine spec: 

low mileage mid 80's Rover SD1 block with new rear crankshaft oil seal. new core plugs.  Original P6  sump cover & timing chain casing retained.

New 3. 9 Camshaft.  

New hydraulic lifters. pushrods. rocker arms & rocker shafts

3. 9 Cylinder heads.

New  upgraded timing chain & gears. new front rubber crankshaft seal. replacing the old rope seal version.

Upgraded high volume oil pump from Reel Steel performance parts. this has taller gears in the pump allowing it to get more oil around the block especially around the cam bearings & on the lobes themselves. P6 Oil Filter retained.

New Mallory Aluminium Electronic performance distributor & Coil.

Original P6 manifold . U carbs & P6 air filter housing.

New SU electric Fuel Pump. fuel pump blanking plate fitted. no more vapour lock.

MGB V8 Header Tank. refurbished Radiator with 12” Kenlow style fan on separate switch.

All new gaskets. Composite Cylinder head & inlet manifold valley gaskets

All new radiator/heater hoses. new thermostat.

Recent new Alternator. Fan belt and Oil Pressure Switch

Exhaust is standard but with middle silencer removed and a stainless tube welded in its place. this is makes it sound fantastic with a bit of V8 muscle grunt.

Transmission:

Recently converted from BW35 auto to SD1 LT77 5 speed manual. the actual box is a 2600 police spec.

New AP30 performance clutch plate and pressure plate

New Release bearing. push rod. New strengthened release arm & holding clip for the push rod. new ‘slipper pads' for the release bearing carrier.

New  input/output shaft oil seals.

New rubber mounting bushes for the remote gear stick linkage housing.

Rear mounting is the original SD1 modified & strengthened to fit the existing P6 mounts inside the trans tunnel. The box prop-shaft flange sits at the same height dimensions as the old auto box.

New cotton reel rubber mounts and centre mount on the modified SD1 Rear mount.

New UJ's on the prop-shaft.

New Clutch Master cylinder (3500s) and new slave cylinder (SD1) . new custom made stainless unions flexi stainless braided hose between the two.

Brakes:

All new discs. pads and new front callipers. all new copper brake pipes throughout the whole car. braided flexi pipes replacing the old rubber versions.

New Brake master cylinder.

Body:

The only rust was the inner wings. all four wings removed. cut out the rust & fabricated/replaced the panels.

All the underside/inner wings were stripped back to the old factory paint. cleaned. nbsp; prepped & undercoated in red oxide. sprayed with UPOL stone chip then painted with black tractol paint.

The inner wings were done in May 2011. the floor pan Dec 2013 whilst doing the gearbox conversion.

I re-sprayed the whole car myself. two panels at a time in my garage using Cellulose Monza Red paint.  all four wings. bonnet. front/rear valences were replaced with excellent rust free/straight  2nd hand versions . (Boot & Bonnet being Ali)

Each panel received several coats. once hardened I flattened off with wet n dry 1200 & 1500. then machined mopped using the correct grades of Farecla cutting paste. then each panel was polished with auto glym resin polish. then with a colour wax treatment.

I'm extremely pleased with the result considering I did it all  in my single garage and its nearly two yrs since I completed it.   If you want to be picky then there are a few slight ripples in the rear door (o/s) and tiny rust bubbles on the front wing under the trim but aside from that its looks stunning considering.

All badges removed apart from the V8 front & back ones. Rear Valence smoothed over. span>  Rubber jacking point covers removed and welded up for a smoother look. you will see I have removed the Viking logos from the vinal pillar covers and replaced with Transformer autobot logos. this was for my then 7yr old son. I've left them on as hardly no one sees the change J

Hotrod style peep mirror added to the driver door frame.

Rear lights have the early series 1 lenses with custom blue dots fitted and red indicators. I have the original orange lesnses if you prefer.

USA style No plates fitted. I have the UK reg plates and rear chrome plinth holder again if you prefer.

Wheels:   (the icing on cherry on the cake)

American Cragar polished 500s  7x15” . these really set the car off and I achieved the exact look I was after with them. I love them!!! To be honest this was all I was going to do in the first place. fit some retro custom wheels to change the whole look of the car as it had to my knowledge never been done using an America alloy wheel. The rest just followed!

Rear tyres: 195/70/15. front 185/70/15. these were new back in May 2012. hardly worn sine.

Rear Inner D-post modified to enable fitment of the Alloys. Rear wing inner wheel arch lips cut back and pulled out ever so slightly to make sure no scraping of tyres of which there is none.

Rear suspension & axel/Diff housing  was completely removed whilst doing the rear welding. all components were cleaned & painted. all bushes were replaced with flexi poly versions. NOT CHEAP as lots of them (10) excluding the shocks.

New rear springs & new poly bushed gas adjustable shocks fitted.

Front suspension has new upper poly bushes and poly shock bushes. bottom bushes still good. this was going to be my next 2014 winter project.

Interior has new carpets. all new door furflex and rear door seals. new boot carpet.

 Verdict:

As you can see/read this is no ordinary Rover P6. I am a huge fan of American muscle cars & Hot Rods. hence my decision to give this P6 a slight make over. giving a British muscle car/rodded look while still retaining its classic Iconic  Rover status.

Driving is pure enjoyment for me. never a dull moment. it's fast. loud and nearly snaps necks from on lookers.

It attracts attention whenever I take it out. old & young ask me about & always very complementary about the car.

It may not be to every Rover/classic car enthusiasts taste with my modifications but then I don't really care. I restored it to suit my own tastes and enjoyment  to which I get 150% from J

Please take into consideration it is nearly 42 yrs old with same age (if not older) technology so it certainly won't have the same braking performance as a modern car or creature comforts. it has a few rattles. the gear change is firm. 2nd gear is little crunchy when cold but fine when warm. the clutch is hard being performance. but to me that's all the fun of driving an old 40 yrs old car that's been modified.

No smoke from cold start up. it will puff out a little once warm on start up but only the once. possible a tiny bit of oil running down the valve guides.

Being lowered then it hasn't the soft wafting ride of standard P6's. its firm & precise with no body roll but saying that on a run say motorway trip it's a peach to drive. as mentioned its modified so it's all about what your prepared to put up with.

I'd say  this is a proper driving mans car with V8 grunt!  do not think it will be the same as the one your Grandad or Dad owned back in the 1970's as it isn't and probably not for you if you prefer a standard classic car.

 It's always garaged. I have driven it in the rain but try to avoid if possible. but it does get used! no driving around in winter. the blo*dy salt does it no justice. your welcome to come and view it. I have a trolley jack and car ramps if you wish to crawl under and take a look. its rust free and solid .

Now usual rules. please please no dreamers or time wasters or test Pilots. NO OFFERS OF SWAPS. NO asking If I will arrange to ship it overseas.   genuine classic car enthusiast please. if I think your pi55ing me around then I won't even take the car out of the garage!  If you do not have a garage then please do not  bid as living outside will kill it. its 42 yrs old and any classic car person will tell you. left to sit in the winter will ruin it!!!! Sorry to a bit anal but I'm a genuine person with a love of old V8 cars and want to see this Rover go to an equally loving petrol headed person.

It is extremely painful to sell it but other projects/BILLS permit.

Car is TAX free. CASH ON COLLECTION. Car is in Somerset about 10 miles from Haynes International Motor Museum .

SOLD AS SEEN.

small you tube clip    http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=MUfa5DtV-lA&list=UULpWkjmk-M5-NZF93iaSIQw

 Many thanks.

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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